A BAD CAR

Train DBW11, the Wilson Steel Works local, returns from Dale City...

Genset 300 is stopped on the east end of the yard with a string of pipe loads.

A group of workers is gathered around one of the cars, looking at an apparent problem underneath the car.

The problem is with the brake gear; part of it is broken and hanging loose from the car's underbody. The car will be set out in front of the shop for emergency repairs.

A day later, the car has been repaired, and is ready to be sent out to join its fellow cars, already headed west to a new gas pipeline project.

A new project for the layout; a storage building, made from an old surplus boxcar.

Now painted, the building also has rooftop vents installed. The roof overhang provides partial protection for a pair of vending machines.
The "surplus" boxcar is an old Accurail car that I wound up "parting out", thus the extra body shell. The rooftop ventilators are also from Accurail; the truck securing pins found in the kits, which I trimmed down on the ends to provide a flat top. The roof itself is made from left-over roofing material from a Pikestuff building kit. And it all is tied together with Evergreen strip styrene, and Floquil reefer grey paint. The building was inspired by a photo of a similar building along the Rock Island in Mediapolis, Iowa, which was actually the local headquarters! Of course. the real building had windows -one with an a/c unit, an oil tank for heating, and a semaphore by the tracks.
More trains next week; until then, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!